The tradition of Abu Hanifah Dinwari concerning the events of Ssafyn is that during the three months—namely, Rabyi’ the first, Rabyi’ the second, and Jomâdi the first— numerous letters and messengers passed between A’li B. Ttâleb the Commander of the Faithful and Moa’wiah, but all the negotiations for peace abutted in nothing. At that time both armies and the heroes of both parties were drawn out opposite to each other for the purpose of fighting; but on every occasion ascetics and memorizers of the Qurân stepped into the battle-ground, cooled the ardour of both parties with the limpid waters of advice, and would not allow them to use their arrows, bows, lances, and swords. When the month Jomâdi the first had terminated, his sacred lordship A’li the Commander of the Faithful engaged in arranging the victory-allied army, and sent the message that the next day a battle was to be fought. Moa’wiah on his part also ordered the people of Syria to get ready for action. Thereon both armies fought daily, offering to each other the unpalatable beverage of death from the latter half of Jomâdi the second till the beginning of Rajab, and ceased hostilities when the new moon was perceived, that month being considered sacred in Islâm as well as in the time of ignorance; so that neither strangers nor townspeople, nor the high and the low classes, fought with each other. On this occasion Abu-l-durdâ and Abu Asâmah, who lived in Syria, and were at that time with Moa’wiah, said to him: ‘As we are convinced that A’li the Commander of the Faithful is more worthy to sit on the couch of the Khalifate than thyself, tell us by what historical or logical reason thou wagest war against him?’ Moa’wiah replied: ‘On account of the blood of O’thmân.’ They queried: ‘Has A’li or another made a martyr of O’thmân?’ He answered: ‘The murderers of O’thmân are with him. If you can induce him to surrender them to me, I shall be the first man in Syria to pay him homage.’ Those two respected individuals thereon betook themselves to the victory-marking camp of the lion of attack, and reported to him what Moa’wiah had said. When the glorious army had been informed of the arrival of Abu-l-durdâ and of Abu Asâmah, as well as of their intention, about twenty thousand men of reputation came forward, meeting those two individuals, and shouting: ‘We are all slayers of O’thmân!’ The envoys, who were of the number of the companions of the apostle of Allah—u. w. bl.—forthwith departed from the camp on seeing this state of affairs, but also refrained from having anything to do with Moa’wiah. They preferred to remain in the corner of separation, and, according to the proverb that ‘Safety is in solitude,’ abstained from taking part in those hostilities. Moa’wiah, having again become impatient, then despatched Shorahbyl B. Shamatt, with Habyb B. Solmah and Moghan B. Zaid Allakhnas, to A’li the Commander of the Faithful with the message: ‘If thou surrenderest the murderers of O’thmân, we shall delegate the election of the Khalifah to a consultative assembly, so that he who is approved of by the Musalmâns may be appointed to that post.’ They then hastened to the abode of the Khalifate, and the first man to speak was Habyb; but as his lordship the Amir insulted him, he became angry and departed from the assembly, saying, however, before doing so: ‘A’li, I swear by God that thou wilt soon experience something which will displease thee.’ Then Shorahbyl said to the Amir of the Faithful: ‘What wisdom is there in thy not surrendering the slayers of O’thmân?’ His lordship replied: ‘It is not in my power to deliver twenty thousand sword-bearing men to the foe.’ When they learnt that this was the case, they left the victory-hoping camp, and informed Moa’wiah of what the Commander of the Faithful had said.
Abu Hanifah Dinwari states that the two opposing armies remained drawn up close to each other from the beginning of Rajab to the end of Muharram* without any hostilities taking place between them, and that on the last day of Muharram, near sunset, A’li the Commander of the Faithful sent a herald to the camp of Moa’wiah to shout: ‘We have abstained from fighting till the month of Muharram has elapsed, and I invite you to follow the straight road and the right direction. Undoubtedly God the Most High and Glorious is not a friend to traitors.’ Arrangements and preparations for a conflict of the two armies having been made during the first night of the month Ssafar, the right and the left wings were drawn out in the morning, and the leaders of both armies entrusted them to their respective commanders. Thus his sacred lordship A’li the Commander of the Faithful appointed A’mmâr B. Yâser to command the whole cavalry, and A’bdullah B. Hozyl Khozâa’yi the infantry; Asha’th B. Qays had charge of the right flank, and A’bdullah B. A’bbâs of the left. He ordered the tribes to fight under one of the Amirs, and gave the greatest banner to Hâshem B. O’tbah B. Abu Woqqâss. The names of the Amirs of his lordship the Commander of the Faithful are as follows: Sulaymân B. Ssard Alkhozâa’yi, Hâreth B. Murrah Ala’bdy, A’mru B. Alhamaq, Hussayn B. Almundhar, Ahnaf B. Qays, Noa’ym B. Hobyrah, Hârethah B. Qudâmah, Refaa’h B. Shadâd, Abu Ayûb the Anssâry, Abu-l-hashym B. Alshybân the herald of the apostle of Allah—u. w. bl.—A’dy B. Hâtim Attâyi, A’mru B. O’ttâryd, Junayd B. Zohyrah, Khâled B. Mua’mmer, Shyth B. Rabyi’, Sa’d B. Qays B. A’bdullah B. Attufayl, A’mru B. Hanttalah, Qays B. Sa’d B. A’bâdah the Anssâry, Shaddâdu-l-hâny, Qâsum B. Hanttalah, Qays Aljuhanny, A’mru B. Mazyd, Mâlek B. Hâreth Alashtar Alnakha’yi, Sa’d B. Maswad At-thaqfy, Zyâd B. Annassar, Sharykh B. Hâny, Moa’qal B. Qays, Qabydzah B. Shaddâd, A´amer B. Wâylah, Hâreth B. Naufil, Zaid B. Ssa’ssa’h B. Ssûhân, A’mru B. Habylah, Aa’yn B. Ttyfah, Adym B. Ash-shybân, Hussyn B. Nomyr, Hajr B. A’dy, and Hozaymah B. Jâber.
Moa’wiah on his part ordered his officers to draw up the forces, saying: ‘Let the whole cavalry listen to the words of A’bdullah B. A´ass with the audition of acquiescence.’ He enjoined all the infantry not to trangress the commands of Moslamah B. O’qbah, and appointed O’beydullah B. Omar B. Alkhattâb to the command of the right wing, entrusting the left to the charge of Habyb B. Moslamah. He gave the greatest banner to A’bdu-r-rahman B. Khâled B. Alwolyd, and ordered each tribe to be under the command of an officer. The names of all the Amirs and officers of Moa’wiah are as follows: Dzohâk B. Qays, Dhu-l-Kalâgh the Hemyarite, Refa’h B. Alhâreth, Sofiân B. A’mru, Solmah B. Khâled, Bashir B. Arttâ, Hâreth B. Khâled, Hamâm B. Qytt, Khosheb B. Dhi Tzelym, Hasân B. Majdal, Hâbes B. Rabya’h, Zaid B. Bahyrah, Yazid B. Asad, Ttaryf B. O’mayr, Mohâreq B. Hâreth, Qâtel B. Qays, Hamzah B. Mâlek, Qa’qâa’ B. Azhar, A’mru B. Ala´ass, Helâl B. Abu Hobyrah, Abu-l-a´ur, and Yazid B. Ommyah.
When the two armies had been drawn out in battle array, they stood opposite to each other under their respective banners, restraining their tongues from speaking and their hands from acting, when all of a sudden a man named Juhal B. Athâl stepped out from the victory-boding army shouting for a champion, whereon his own son, who was in the army of Syria, drew forth his hand from the sleeve of boldness, and was ready for the duel. As, however, both were covered with iron armour, they failed to recognise each other. As blows with the sword took no effect on either of them, Athâl grasped the belt of his son and pulled him from his saddle, so that he fell to the ground. Then Athâl likewise alighted from his horse, and, the vizors of both having been displaced, they recognised each other. Then they separated, one returning to the army of A’li the Commander of the Faithful, and the other to that of Moa’wiah. Then the people also dispersed, returned to their places, and besides this event nothing occurred on that day.
The next day, when the scimitar-wielding sun had put to flight the hosts of the night, both armies again drew themselves up in battle-array, and took positions opposite to each other. Now, of the partisans of Moa’wiah one O’tbah B. Abu Sofiân, having tightly girded his loins to wreak vengeance on the army of E’râq, stepped into the battle-ground, and, having opened his mouth with boasts and exultations, challenged Ja’dah B. Hobyrah B. Abu Wahab, the Qoraishy, to a duel. Hereon Ja’dah also stepped out from his lines, and, having encountered each other, the fire of conflict was kindled between them; but although these two brave warriors made the greatest efforts to acquire a name and reputation in the contest, they remained fruitless, neither of them prevailing, and at last O’tbah, having been wounded by the sword of the tongue of Ja’dah, retaliated with similar follies, and both, getting angry, returned to their respective places. During that same hour, however, both again sallied forth from their lines, each at the head of a company of rank-breaking heroes, and approached each other. The spectators of this contest fixed their eyes on the combatants to see how it would end. At last Ja’dah put O’tbah to flight, thus raising his flag of bravery up to the dome of Orion.*
It is recorded in some histories that when the combat was imminent his lordship the Amir of the Faithful addressed a select assembly as follows, after having offered praises to the Almighty and salutations to Ahmad the elect —u. w. bl.: ‘We belong to the tribe of the faithful apostle and to his pure family; we have firmly trodden the straight path, and the rays of grace of the Eternal Sovereign have shone upon us. The foundations of the bright religion, and the edifices of the Faith of Islâm, have been strengthened by our efforts. The pillars of the brilliant law, the bases of the “Rukn” and the “Maqâm,”* have been made durable by us. We are like the ark of Noah which saved those who embarked in it from all dangers, and all perished who remained outside of it.’ He also said: ‘O ye congregation of Musalmâns, be not dismayed and sorrowful, because on the morn of the resurrection you will be rejoiced by the mercy of the Nourisher, the intercession of the elect apostle, the society of the pious and the righteous. You must be diligent in reciting the words of the Lord [i.e., the Qurân], imploring the Deity to grant you the victory. Advance cautiously towards the enemy, and do not incur the shame of defeat and flight. I prohibit you to fight unless the enemy makes the beginning, and not to engage in the contest except after repeatedly urging arguments against it [and they are disregarded by the foe]. If those people are routed by the favour of God, pursue but do not kill them. Abstain from injuring the wounded, and let females alone, although they may use insulting language towards you, because their intellect is weak and sense slender; when we were fighting and striving for the religion in the time of the apostle of Allah—u. w. bl.—we were not ordered to injure women.’ He also said with his pearl-dropping mouth: ‘O Musalmâns, take awe and the fear of God—who be praised and exalted—for your motto; let piety guide your actions, be patient and forbearing; but do not give way to hesitation or confusion, and set your teeth firmly when you fight with your swords and lances.’ After he had spoken more on this subject and imparted salutary advice, he stepped into the battlefield with his noble sons, and with the chief Mohâjer and Anssâr—may Allah be pleased with them; but Awys Qarny—A. h. m. o. h.— having placed his hand upon the felicity-bringing stirrup, followed that sun of virtue and perfection like a shadow.
There is a tradition that when the two armies were standing opposite to each other, drawn up in battle-array, a man of the army of Moa’wiah shouted: ‘O ye people of E’râq, is Awys Qarny among you?’ Having received an affirmative reply, and being asked why he inquired for him, he continued: ‘I have heard the apostle of Allah say that Awys Qarny is the best of followers on account of his gratitude.’ Then this Syrian left the champions and joined the adherents of the Commander of the Faithful. It is said that on the third day of the hostilities Haryth, the freed slave of Moa’wiah, who was undaunted and furious in battle, desirous to raise the dust of disturbance in the field of the heroes, mounted the horse of his owner, donned his coat, and asked him: ‘Wilt thou give me the district of Ttabaryah if I slay the son of Abu Ttâleb?’ Moa’wiah replied: ‘Take care not to fight with A’li, because I have only two confidants, one of them being thyself and the other A’bdu-r-rahman B. Khâled B. Alwolyd. If a misfortune befalls you, I can find no substitutes for you. If the desire to fight has overpowered thy mind, attack Mâlek Ashtar, and if thou slayest him my mind will be delivered from the bonds of grief.’ When, however, A’mru B. A´ass knew that Haryth was desirous to fight A’li, he privately said to him: ‘However anxious Moa’wiah may be to see A’li killed, he is unwilling that his own freed slave should kill his cousin. Thou must make haste to attack him, and not delay to annihilate him.’ Haryth having been beguiled by the words of A’mru, forgot the advice of Moa’wiah, entered the lists of contest, and challenged A’li the Commander of the Faithful to a duel, who thereon approached him and gave him such a blow on the head with the sword that he breathed no more. Moa’wiah, grieved by the death of Haryth, said to A’mru: ‘Thou hast acted unjustly by goading him on to what I disliked, namely, to attack A’li.’ A’mru replied: ‘What is past is past; now I see no one fit to fight A’li except A’bdullah B. Musa’dah Alqarâry. Give him thy robe and horse, and send him to remove the son of Abu Ttâleb.’ Moa’wiah replied: ‘I do not know what evil Ebn Musa’dah has machinated against thee that thou shouldst seek his death, as thou hast sought that of Haryth.’ A’mru replied: ‘Nothing of the kind is the case, but those who have been adorned with the garlands of the administration of provinces must fight thy enemies.’ Moa’wiah then called Ebn Musa’dah, and made him fair promises to induce him to gird his loins and fight with A’li the Commander of the Faithful; Musa’dah, however, having placed the seal of taciturnity on his mouth, gave no reply. A’mru B. A´ass then exclaimed: ‘Allah, Allah, Allah forbid! Do not become liable to disgrace.’ Ebn Musa’dah, being helpless, assented at last, whereon Moa’wiah gave him his own horse and clothes, saying: ‘Hasten to attack A’li, and maybe by thy strenuous efforts our minds will be delivered of apprehensions.’ Ebn Musa’dah then betook himself to the battle-ground, and having reached his lordship A’li the Amir of the Faithful, was attacked by him with the sword. Perceiving that he could not escape with life from the strokes of the [sabre] Dhu-l-fiqâr, Ebn Musa’dah raised a shout of lamentation and apology, saying: ‘O Commander of the Faithful, I am not Moa’wiah, but he has compelled me to don his clothes and sent me unwillingly against thee.’ The Amir of the Faithful then exclaimed: ‘Begone, may thy mother be childless!’ When A’bdullah B. Musa’dah had returned, he presented himself to Moa’wiah, who overwhelmed him with a variety of objurgations, but A’bdullah asked: ‘O Moa’wiah, lovest thou thy life?’ Receiving an affirmative reply, he continued: ‘I also love mine. I do not stand in need of the governorship thou hast promised me if I fight A’li.’ On that occasion A’mru B. A´ass said to Moa’wiah: ‘Send Bashir B. Arttâ to attack A’li.’ Moa’wiah, having approved of this suggestion, then ordered Bashir to hasten to the side of the lion of God and to attack him, whereon that prudent individual, beguiled by the words of Moa’wiah, made preparations for the contest, but his nephew asked: ‘Knowest thou at all whom thou art going to oppose?’ He replied: ‘How can I reject the order of Moa’wiah?’ The nephew of Bashir was much grieved, and recited some poetry to him, meaning: ‘If thou feelest thyself strong enough to combat A’li Murtadza, attack him with the right intention and a firm step, or else be not deceived, because, although a rapacious animal may be self-conscious of strength, it is of little account in comparison to that of a lion, so that it becomes at last his prey. O son of Arttâ, perhaps thou art ignorant and art not aware of the awe which his lordship the receptacle of the Vicariate inspires, and of the furious blows he metes out? Thou knowest not that death sits on the top of his lance when he fights, and that destruction is abiding in the hilt of his sanguinary blade.’ However much the nephew of Bashir endeavoured to hinder him from stepping into the desert of aberration, he could effect nothing. When this foe approached his lordship the receptacle of the Vicariate and aimed a blow at him, it proved fruitless, whereon the Shâh of the abode of Vicarship became so incensed that, lifting his blessed hand, he caught hold of Bashir and threw him to the ground from his saddle, but abstained from further injuring him. A’yâsh B. Rabya’h then asked: ‘O Amir, why hast thou not altogether despatched this fellow?’ His lordship, however, replied: ‘There is a respite in his death. O A’yâsh, if thou remainest alive it will become known to thee what he is going to do to the members of my family.’ After Bashir had returned, the champions of Syria deemed it incumbent upon themselves to abstain and to refrain from further molesting the Shâh and asylum of Vicarship, and remained stationary at their posts. His lordship then returned to his station in the centre of the army, whereon Zyrqân B. Badr—who was distinguished by valour and temerity, and had by his holy and prophetic lordship —u. w. bl.—been appointed superintendent of the legal alms, and was also during the sway of Abu Bakr entrusted with the administration of the booty, and had during the time of O’mar gone by his orders to Syria to fight for the religion, where he had since established himself—went to the battle-ground and shouted for a champion. Then Hasan the Amir of the Faithful—p. o. h.—asked permission from his glorious father to encounter him. His lordship granted the request of the pupil of his eye [i.e., darling son], whose beloved brothers commenced to cry, but his lordship the Amir pacified them. When Hasan—u. w. p.—had approached Zyrqân, he asked: ‘Who art thou?’ Hasan then mentioned his name and descent, whereon Zyrqân continued: ‘O grandson of the apostle of Allah, if thy lance were to enter my bowels I would not look in anger at thee. How can I fight with thee, having seen the apostle kissing thee many times!’ Hasan the Amir of the Faithful asked: ‘If thou considerest me from such a point of view, why hast thou preferred Moa’wiah to me?’ Zyrqân continued: ‘Request A’li the Commander of the Faithful to wash off the multitude of my transgressions with the limpid waters of his mercy and pardon.’ Hasan having given assent to this proposal, Zyrqân was made happy by being allowed to kiss the victory-boding stirrup, and said: ‘The first man who was deceived by the follies of the world and excluded from the mercy of the Almighty was myself. I hope and request thee to purify me from my sins with the water of kindness.’ Then his lordship pardoned Zyrqân, but the people continued to fight that day till dark.
Abu Hanifah Dinwari states that one day when A’mmâr B. Yâser stepped with a detachment of champions from E’râq into the battle-ground, he was encountered by A’mru B. A´ass with a number of Syrian warriors.—A’mru had with him a black standard, and the people [recognising it] said: ‘This is the banner which the apostle of Allah has tied for him.’ A’li the Commander of the Faithful said: ‘I shall inform you about this flag,’ and continued: ‘On the day when the apostle—u. w. bl.—knotted this standard, he turned to his companions and asked: “Who will take this banner with its duties?” A’mru B. A´ass asked: “What are the duties of this banner?” He replied: “The owner of it must not flee from an unbeliever, and not fight against a Moslem.” The fact, however, is that during the lifetime of his lordship the apostle—u. w. bl.—he had engaged in hostilities with unbelievers and fled, and to-day, having encountered Musalmâns, he is waging war against them.’
On that day A’mmâr B. Yâser and A’mru B. A´ass fought with each other till the night set in, but neither of them prevailed over his antagonist. It is related that the next day Ahmar, the freed man of Abu Sofiân, who was celebrated everywhere for his bravery, and a worthy combatant, entered the battleground and challenged his sacred lordship A’li the Commander of the Faithful to a duel, but Zaid B. Ssa’ss´ah B. Ssûhân shouted at him, saying: ‘The curse of God the Most High be on the man who has sent a dog like thee to challenge the best of worshippers.’ Ahmar replied: ‘Words like these are uttered from cowardice and malevolence.’ Meanwhile, Shuqrân, the freed man of the apostle of God, hastened to attack Ahmar, but attained the honour of martyrdom. After he had slain Shuqrân, Ahmar shouted: ‘I do not want to fight anyone except his lordship A’li Murtadza, and shall not return until I have severed his head from his body.’ Some persons replied: ‘O dog, who art thou? Return to thy place, for thou art not his equal.’ He continued: ‘No, by Allah! I shall not return unless I obtain possession of the head of [A’li] the son of Abu Ttâleb, or lose my own in this contest.’ When Ali the Commander of the Faithful had become aware of the folly of Ahmar, he turned the reins of his intention towards him, and, catching him by the arm, threw him to the ground with such force that the unhallowed caitiff surrendered his life to the owner of hell. After that Karyb B. Abrahah, who was a very athletic man of the tribe Muzam, entered the lists and challenged the Amir of the Faithful to a duel.—It is said that Karyb was so strong that he could rub off with his fingers the design from a dirhem.—Murtfa’ B. Alradzâh then encountered Karyb, shouting out his name and genealogy, whereon Karyb acknowledged him to be his equal, attacked him and slew him. Then Hâreth Shybâny, who used to spend his days fasting and his nights praying, assailed the cursed fellow, but was killed by him. When A’li the Commander of the Faithful perceived that the wickedness of this malefactor could not be coerced except by the action of his Dhu-l-fiqâr, he intended to step into the list, but A’bdullah B. A’dy Alhâreth said: ‘I adjure thee by the right of thy consanguinity to allow me to attack this accursed fellow! If I vanquish him it is all I desire; or else I shall taste the potion of martyrdom while I attend on thee.’ The request of A’bdullah having been granted, he approached Karyb, recited some poetry extolling the perfections of A’li, and attacked him, but received a lethal wound, so that he departed to the eternal mansion. Thereon the Commander of the Faithful, touched by the misfortunes of his friends, drove his horse into the field of contest, threatened Karyb with Divine wrath and punishment, advising him to come to the straight road, but he replied: ‘With the sabre I hold in my hand I have taken many like thee off their legs.’ After these words he aimed with his sword a blow at the Amir of the Faithful, who, having warded it off with his buckler, struck that wanderer in the desert of aberration with such force on the head that the sword divided his body in twain and came down to the pommel of the saddle. Both armies then raised a shout of applause, ascending to the zenith, on account of this performance with the Dhu-l-fiqâr. After having slain Karyb, the Amir of the Faithful returned to his post; he said, however, to Muhammad Hanifah: ‘Remain awhile on the battle-ground till one arrives to avenge the blood of Karyb.’ Then this well-directed son remained at the spot at the suggestion of his praiseworthy father. Then one of the cousins of Karyb approached Muhammad Hanifah, and asked: ‘Where has the horseman gone to who has slain my cousin?’ He replied: ‘Behold, I am standing here to take his place!’ The cousin, then becoming excited, rushed at Muhammad, and they fought till the latter prostrated the former on the ground. Others then attacked him in succession, so that he at last despatched seven champions to the road of non-existence. After that a youth, issuing from his lines, said to Muhammad: ‘Thou hast slain my uncles, and I have now arrived to avenge them, or to meet them [in death].’ That lord, being astonished at the temerity of the youth, tried to dissuade him, but finding his efforts to be useless, this true son of A’li the Commander of the Faithful slew him. There is a tradition that Muhammad Hanifah had been asked: ‘How was it that the Amir of the Faithful had encouraged thee to a contest fraught with danger, as he is taking such great care of Hasan and of Husain?’ He replied: ‘They are to him like his two eyes, and I like his two hands. He preserves his two eyes by means of his two hands.’
It is related that one day his holy and prophetic lordship —u. w. bl.—said to A’li the Commander of the Faithful: ‘God—who be glorified and exalted—will give thee a son of the Bani Hanifah, and I present him with my name and sobriquet. Call that boy by my name and surname.’ When that child was born, A’li the Commander of the Faithful acted according to the injunction, and God the Most High bestowed upon Muhammad Hanifah the gifts of knowledge and bravery, which are the noblest of all qualities. It is said that Muhammad Hanifah taught his son Hâshem the sciences of interpretation;* and Assal B. A’ttâ, who was the head and front of the Mota’zelites, had learnt these sciences from him, but, having afterwards swerved from the straight road, became a Mota’zelite.*
It is related that one day A’bdu-r-rahman B. Khâled B. Wolyd, coming out from his lines, asked for a champion, whereon Mâlek Ashtar met him and broke his helmet, so that he returned and said to Moa’wiah: ‘We have no longer the strength and power to avenge the blood of O’thmân, which will not cease to boil till we have all been slain.’ Moa’wiah replied: ‘Thou hast quickly become tired of war, and hast been disheartened by a wound which is as trifling as one inflicted by children on each other in sport; this thou knowest not, although thou art fighting in the cause of a Khalifah of great dignity, who has been abased and unjustly slain. Be patient and firm in this matter, because “Allah is with the patient.”’* A’bdu-r-rah-man continued: ‘Thou art sitting as a leisurely spectator on the couch of government, whilst our lot is to fight. If thy words be true and sincere, take up thy arms and step out:
‘How long wilt thou repose, wearing easy clothes?
Why donnest thou not the cuirass of battle sometimes?’
Moa’wiah, nettled by the words of A’bdu-r-rahman, put on his armour and helmet, advanced towards the forces of the A’mir, chanting verses in the rajaz measure, and asking for a champion from the Hamdân tribe. Thereon Sa’yd B. Qays Hamdâny walked out from the victorious army, and knowing his opponent to be Moa’wiah, forthwith impelled his horse and assailed him, but he ran like a fox, and reached the door of his own tent in great haste, where he alighted. Being overpowered by terror, he did not say a word to anyone, and, as fear acted on his bowels, he visited the privy thrice. After Moa’wiah had fled, Mâlek Ashtar stepped into the battlefield and called for a champion, whereon A’bdullah B. Omar B. Alkhattâb, not knowing him, girded his loins for a duel, and having approached him, asked: ‘What is thy name? because I do not fight with any but my equals.’ Mâlek replied: ‘I am called Mâlek B. Hâreth.’ A’bdullah remaining awhile silent, afterwards said: ‘If I had known that thou art Mâlek, I would not have come to fight thee. I shall now return with thy permission.’ Mâlek continued: ‘Consider that people will say, “The son of O’mar has retreated from the field of contest, and was unwilling to fight his equal.”’ A’bdullah said: ‘I care for my life, and in comparison to that, the gossip of people counts for little.’ Mâlek continued: ‘As this is thy opinion, return in peace, and refrain hereafter from fighting with a man whom thou knowest not.’ O’beydullah [supra A’bdullah], happy to have escaped with his life, then retraced his steps, and Moa’wiah said to him: ‘Why all this fear and fright, there being no difference between thee in virility and bravery?’ O’beydullah asked: ‘Why fightest thou not with him?’ Moa’wiah replied: ‘I have fought with a man who is not inferior to him, namely, Sa’yd B. Qays Hamdâny.’ O’beydullah retorted: ‘Thou speakest the truth, but the fact is that after thou hadst come near to him thou hast fled from him, as a fox runs away from a lion.’ Moa’wiah continued: ‘If I step into the list with A’li B. Abu Ttâleb, I swear by God that I shall not return.’ During this conversation Moa’wiah and O’beydullah heard his lordship the A’mir of the Faithful shouting: ‘O son of Hind, forbear shedding the blood of Musalmâns, and abstain from injuring them, but approach me for a moment that we may contend with each other on this battlefield. If thou art victorious, a realm will become subjected to thee, but if the Lord of Glory vouchsafes me His aid, the people will be delivered from these fatigues and miseries.’ When Moa’wiah knew that A’li Murtadza was addressing him, he placed the seal of taciturnity on his lips, whereon O’beydullah said to him: ‘Do not mind what thou hast said before, but listen to what the Amir says! If thou art brave, and the true son of Abu Sofiân, then step out, that we may behold the strength of thy hand, and witness the consequences of thy valour and championship.’ Although O’beydullah spoke much to this effect, Moa’wiah would by no means open his lips to give a reply. A’li the Commander of the Faithful repeated his challenge several times, and capered about on the battle-ground, but when he had ascertained that Moa’wiah would not fight, he galloped straight into the lines of the opponents from the right flank to the left, shouting for a champion, prostrating several of them to the ground, and then returned to his own army, in the centre of which he took up his position. When O’beydullah B. O’mar saw Moa’wiah greatly impressed by the undaunted courage of the lion of attack, he said: ‘We imagined thee to be more brave and stout-hearted than to flee from Sa’yd B. Qays, and to defile a privy with thy evacuations. After that thou hast [nevertheless] boasted that if A’li B. Abu Ttâleb encounters thee, thou wilt grasp his belt with thy hand; but when he challenged thee to combat thou hast trembled in all thy limbs, and thy complexion has changed, and I do not know how thou wilt extricate thyself from this affair.’ Moa’wiah, becoming incensed at these words of O’beydullah, then addressed A’mru B. A´ass in this strain: ‘Hearest thou what the son of O’mar B. Alkhattâb says concerning me, and how bold he is?’ A’mru B. A´ass replied: ‘He speaks the truth, because the son of Abu Ttâleb had entered the field and challenged thee, but thou hast considered thyself excused [from fighting].’ Moa’wiah continued: ‘A’mru, perhaps thou desirest to become Khalifah by speaking in this way, because I have seen no one fighting A’li and escaping with life.’ A’mru B. A´ass replied: ‘I swear by God that I do not covet the Khalifate, and if I were to covet it, no one would consider it strange or impossible; but I fear the men who will say that the son of thy uncle, having entered the list, challenged thee to fight, and thou, having ignored and disregarded the call, hast not budged from thy place. Be aware that this behaviour is a great reproach and shame to thee.’ Moa’wiah only laughed at these words, and engaged in conversation with another Amir. Meanwhile A’li the Commander of the Faithful, having changed his dress, stepped incognito into the field, and shouted for a champion. Then A’mru B. A´ass advanced several steps in perfect ignorance of his antagonist, because if he had known him he would have lost his strength and died of fright. The Amir rode about near A’mru, wishing to decoy him a little further from the lines of Moa’wiah, and that whale of the sea of fraud and eminent boaster [i.e., A’mru], imagining that his antagonist, being cowardly, would fail to attack him, advanced a few steps more, and recited verses in the rajaz measure of the following purport: ‘O ye chiefs of the army of Kûfah! O ye partisans of dissension! O ye slayers of O’thmân! I shall attack you and shall cut your limbs to pieces with my blood-dripping sword, although the father of Hasan—namely, A’li the Commander of the Faithful—may be among you.’ When his lordship had heard the rajaz verses of A’mru B. A´ass, he replied with his wonderfully eloquent mouth in the same measure and rhymes, but as soon as A’mru B. A´ass had ascertained who had given him this replication, he turned his reins towards his own lines, and whipped his horse, but A’li the Amir of the Faithful, having pursued him with great celerity, touched A’mru with his lance in such a manner that, falling to the ground, he was sprawling on his back with both his legs in the air, and, as he had no izâr,* his sexual parts were bared. A’li the Commander of the Faithful, seeing him in this condition, refrained from injuring A’mru, and turned his face away from him. There is a tradition that after the Amir of the Faithful had seen the uncovered parts of A’mru, he said: ‘Begone, O son of the thirsty woman; for thou hast been made safe by thy own parts as long as thou livest, and hast been delivered from the grasp of death.’ He then returned to Moa’wiah, who laughed, and said: ‘Thou hast played a cunning trick, and executed a nice stratagem, for no one has escaped death except thyself by baring his posterior and sexual organ. Thou must henceforth all thy life be thankful to this organ and keep it in honour. O A’mru, what a disgrace is this thou hast brought on thyself!’ A’mru replied: ‘Moa’wiah, hadst thou been in my place, A’li would have destroyed thee, making a widow of thy wife and orphans of thy children. At the time, however, when he challenged thee, I saw thy face turning yellow, and it is yet so, up to the tips of thy ears; thou hadst [on that occasion] lost the power of motion. Thou excellest me not so much in bravery as to be entitled to sneer at me.’ A’mru being confused and restless, the people railed at him, and Moa’wiah said, laughing: ‘How didst thou feel with thy back on the ground and thy feet sprawling in the air, for not having put on an izâr, as thou knewest that thou wouldst fall on thy back?’ A’mru [ironically] replied: ‘The occasion has not yet occurred that I encountered an enemy and fled.’ Moa’wiah continued: ‘It is no shame to run away from a man like A’li Murtadza, but it is very disgraceful to lift up one’s legs and to display the sexual parts.’ A’mru rejoined: ‘It does not matter; A’li is the son of my uncle, and when he recognised me he pardoned me.’ Moa’wiah retorted: ‘This is a most shameless allegation, because I heard the apostle of Allah—u. w. bl.—say: “O A’li, I and thou are of one nature!” And this is his high dignity up to Adam —u. w. p. His father was a chief of the Bani Hâshem, but thine a butcher of the Qoraish.’ A’mru replied: ‘By Allah! thy words are more painful than wounds of arrows and sabres. Had I remained sitting in my house, not come to thee, and not bartered my religion for [the goods of] the world, I would not have heard words like these from thee, nor would I have suffered all this trouble and misery. As thou art aware of his position and high dignity, of what use is all this gossip, and how can the fountain of the sun be obscured by throwing mud at it? The best thing for thee to do will be to walk on the straight road, to abandon covetousness, to fold up this carpet of dissension, to pay him allegiance, and to squabble with me no more.’
Abu Hanifah Dinwari states that once A’li the Commander of the Faithful sent the following message to Moa’wiah: ‘Step into the battle-ground, that I and thou may place our hands on each other’s belts, and that one of us may be killed, whereon the slayer will take his position in the court of the Khalifate and government, so that all worshippers [of God] will be delivered of trouble and misery.’ Moa’wiah, having listened to the reading of this letter, consulted A’mru B. A´ass in the matter of fighting with his lordship the receptacle of the Vicariate. A’mru B. A´ass replied: ‘A’li is making a perfectly just proposal.’ Moa’wiah rejoined: ‘Thou art deceiving and beguiling me, being desirous that I should engage in a contest with a furious elephant and roaring lion.’ Then Moa’wiah excluded A’mru B. A´ass from his society, who, wishing to reconcile Moa’wiah, said a few days afterwards: ‘I shall go to-morrow and attack A’li Murtadza.’ Moa’wiah then became pleased, and gave him permission, so that the next day A’mru B. A´ass perfectly armed himself, and, standing in the lines, shouted: ‘O father of Hasan, come forth against A’mru B. A´ass!’ A’li the Commander of the Faithful then approached him, and they attacked each other with their lances; these, however, producing no effect, his lordship the Amir drew forth his Dhu-l-fiqâr from the scabbard, and attacked A’mru, who, getting frightened at the shining blade, leapt from his horse, but one of his feet being raised in the fall, his sexual parts were uncovered. Then A’li the Amir of the Faithful looked in another direction, and A’mru escaped; when, however, he had rejoined Moa’wiah, the latter said: ‘O courageous hero and brave combatant, give thanks to God, and consider thyself under obligations to thy sexual parts, and always keep them in honour, because they are the reason of thy deliverance.’ These words became a subject for joking, whereon A’mru, having become ashamed, made several replies, which have been recorded already above.